KaiOS will soon support Google Search, YouTube, Google Maps and other services. The JioPhone is powered by KaiOS operating system.
Reliance JioPhone will soon have support for popular Google services like the Google Maps, YouTube, and Search thanks to a new announcement from KaiOS. For those who do not know, the JioPhone which is a smart feature phone is powered by KaiOS, a web-based operating system. KaiOS also announced that it has managed to raise $22 million in a Series A investment from Google.
“This funding will help us fast-track development and global deployment of KaiOS-enabled smart feature phones, allowing us to connect the vast population that still cannot access the internet, especially in emerging markets,” said Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies in a press statement.
KaiOS has partnerships with TCL, HMD Global, and Micromax as well as carriers such as Reliance Jio, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Smart feature phones from these companies come with limited RAM, memory, and run a basic processor from Qualcomm. The JioPhone for instance, has support for 4G LTE, WiFi, and supports apps as well. However, the apps are limited to the ones from Reliance Jio for now.
As part of its announcement, Google and KaiOS will bring Google Assistant, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Search available to users on the operating system. According to the company, the apps have been developed specifically for the KaiOS platform, which is entirely web-based. The OS is built on open standards such as HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS.
In December last year, Google had announced that the Assistant would be rolling out to the JioPhone. This version would support both Hindi and English. On the JioPhone, the voice assistant is able to play music, videos, call and send text with a voice command.